Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines has a huge fan base across the world and is the perfect setting for Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit man Peter Jackson and his team to create an action filled VFX blockbuster. The film has its World Premiere in London this evening and we were on the red carpet.

Attending from the film were Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Leila George, Jihae, Stephen Lang as well as Producer/screenwriter Peter Jackson, Co-producer/screenwriter Philippa Boyens and Director Christian Rivers.

Hera Hilmar talked about the honour of getting to play Hester Shaw as such a strong female character and praised the rounded nuanced character she is on the page and screen, as well as noting the scar which as a physical disfigurement in a leading heroine is rare in Hollywood.

Jihae (Anna Fang) talks about the theme of freedom and the various real world metaphors that are in the film. She also talks about the role of women in the film, which was a big part of the draw for her. Robert Sheehan (Tom Natsworthy) was happy to relive the moment when Peter Jackson called him for the role, and he talks about the character’s emotional journey in the film.

During the premiere for Mortal Engines, Stephen Lang was asked about returning to Pandora in the Avatar sequels which have been filmed by James Cameron after the 2009 epic. Avatar 2 is expected to be in cinemas at the end of 2020. He talks about the amazing new worlds they are set to explore, how they move beyond the rainforests of Pandora and all the new creatures to meet.

Lord of the Rings actor Hugo Weaving talks about reuniting with Peter Jackson and how he enjoying being back in his world, and how difficult the world was to realise.

The film hits UK and US cinemas on the 14th of December, with a large amount of previews from 8th Dec. Scott Davis and Colin Hart were on the red carpet and conducted these interviews.

Mortal Engines World Premiere Interviews

Plot:

A mysterious young woman named Hester Shaw joins forces with Anna Fang, a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head, and Tom Natsworthy, an outcast from London, to lead a rebellion against a giant predator city on wheels.